Pages

Sunday, May 30, 2010

It's been a quiet weekend around here. I needed that because of last week. One of the problems with foot surgery is the swelling that seems to take place at the drop of a hat for months afterward. Last week the temperature outside went way up. The humidity went way up. The barometric pressure went way up. And because of all this the measurement around my ankle and foot went way up. My foot was at least double its normal size and I ended up not being able to get my shoe on for several days. This also meant a lot of pain and basically a really cranky Jill.

To make up for this I've been sitting around most of the weekend except for early morning yard work.Sitting around means 2 things:1. Knitting2. Cats hanging around (or on) me

This picture is terrible for color but I started a pair of Pink Ribbon socks out of Lion Brand SockEase in a bright pink called Cotton Candy. These socks will go into an auction for Breast Cancer that a friend is part of every year.

I also worked on the May mystery sock for SKA. This is a group on Ravelry - Sock Knitter's Anonymous. I haven't done anything with them so far but this month the mystery sock was by Cookie A and I thought it would be fun to try. I finished the socks a few days ago with Chief's wonderful assistance but I haven't gotten around to taking pictures. The best I did so far was to get a shot of Chief helping me by laying across the computer and randomly hitting keys.

If the boys aren't on top of me they are near. I have a chair that sits by the recliner and put the computer on it when its not in use. If the computer isn't on the chair - the boys are. They feel the need to monitor my knitting and I fully approve. There's nothing better than a 2 second break from knitting to scritch a fluffy head or tummy.

From the Boys and me - have a great Memorial Day and be sure to take some time to remember those who have served to protect us whether in the military or civil service.

Thanks Dad, both Grandpas, Uncle Bud, Uncle Bob, Uncle Werner, cousin Paul, SIL Jan (Fire Captain)and all the others in the family that give your life and time for the rest of us!

Friday, May 14, 2010

Last weekend I had the chance to work at the MN Knitter's Guild table at Shepherd's Harvest. For 2 hours I sat and talked to a couple other guild members and the people that came to the fairground. We were surrounded by fiber, fiber critters and people who love fiber. What a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon!

I did come home with a skein of Happy Hands sock yarn. a lovely merino/bamboo hand dyed yarn in pale purple/lavender that will make me very happy when I knit it. The weather has been dark and grey all week so I didn't even try to get a picture of this, because this beautiful yarn needs to see sunshine to show itself off.

With all the rain and grey we've had this week Bert has been bored and getting into things in the house. I've found a partially used ball of Malabrigo spread out over the guest bedroom (no damage was done thankfully!). I've found every kitty toy put in new places every day including several placed in the bathroom (your guess is as good as mine). When I try to knit Bert has to spend much of the time trying to do cute kitty poses on the rocking chair next to me.

I'll just lay here and pretend I'm not looking into that bag - Bert

OK. Nothing in the bag. Maybe there's something over here to play with. - Bert

Nothing in the bag, nothing over there. Now there's nothing over her to play with. This is pretty boring. Guess I'll have to try another spot. - Bert

While Bert is look for another place to play I'll just stand here and look regal. - Chief

OK. I tried regal but Mom, this yarn band crown is not what I had in mind. - Chief

While the Boys are busy getting into trouble I've started a mystery sock on Ravelry. The Sock Knitter's Anonymous group (SKA) is doing a mystery sock this month designed by CookieA. I have clue 1 & 2 done on the first socks and started the 2nd. Clue 3 comes out around midnight tonight so I'd better get ready.

Sunday, May 2, 2010

If you don't know who Cat Bordhi is this story won't mean a whole lot. So here's a brief who's who. Cat lives on an island and knits. She thinks in ways of island people - outside the box. This thinking shows up in her ideas about knitting socks. She also used to be a school teacher, This also shows up in her knitting. If you want to see her in action go to youtube and search Cat Brodhi. She has several videos on different knitting techniques. If you want to see very different techniques in knitting socks go to Amazon or your favorite book store and look for her books.

Now on to the story.

Two years ago I headed to Chicago to Stitches Midwest to take a couple classes and enjoy the company of some knitting friend from Ravelry. One class was with Cat Bordhi on sock knitting techniques and I was amazed at some of the ideas she came up with. During class I managed a few minutes of her time and we talked about machine knitting vs. hand knitting techniques and somehow I mentioned I love to use garter rib for socks because it's such a quick rib to knit up.

Garter rib is one row of k2p2 and one row of knit. This creates a knit 2- garter 2 rib. Because you're only purling every other row it goes quite quickly.

Back to the story - Cat said she had never heard of this rib and thought it was a great idea and would try it on her grandson's socks. Cool.I went home with wonderful memories of Stitches Midwest and naturally did a bit of babbling about the classes at my next knit night. The ladies started teasing me that I was Cat Bordhi's new BFF because I talked about her probably more than I should have. I may have mentioned I taught Cat Bordhi something (the garter rib) during my babbling.

Over the next 2 years it has become a running joke in the group. People join our group and I'm introduced as Cat's BFF. I've lived in fear these past 2 years that somehow this story will get to her and she'll think I believe it and I'll end up with a restraining order where I can't come without 100 feet of her. (I know I'm basically paranoid and this would never happen but - if she did hear about it, I would be embarrassed).

Last fall, one of the ladies in my knit group went to Wisconsin and took a Cat Bordhi class. She took a picture of herself with Cat and declared she was now Cat's BFF. This went on till Yarnover. At Yarnover last month Cat was the keynote speaker and also taught a class at Amazing Threads on Sunday. This same lady and another wrote that they were Cat Bordhi's BFFs on the board in the classroom and convinced Cat to take pictures with them. At this point the whole story came out and even though she doesn't know me from a hole in the wall cause this lady teaches over 1000 people a year, well, I was in disbelief. I couldn't believe they had the guts to do this, I wouldn't. But the gauntlet was thrown down and I won't be stopped.

I wrote Cat an email rather tongue in cheek and thanked her for being so kind about this bizarre group of people and wouldn't it be nice if we could prove who her real BFF is and not these "posers". She's such a sweetheart. I got a return email a few days later saying she hopes we can all get a group picture some day and signed it "Your BFF". Will the story continue? Who knows....

Of course, I still have my Elizabeth Zimmermann stories to keep me warm at night and I've let Meg Swanson know she owes me $.23 from a debt her mother left from the late 1970s. Meg is a kind person too and hasn't thought me too bizarre. Knitters are a very strange group of people, me included!

Saturday, May 1, 2010

I suddenly realized I hadn't posted anything since before Yarnover. OOPS! The weekend of April 15-19 was an incredibly wonderful and busy time. There's no way to share everything but here's a few highlights.

Thursday-April 15 I picked up a couple Raverly friends at the airport at 2 different times, 2 different terminals and they stayed with the Boys and me for the weekend. I've met many friends through the She-Knits Podcast Small Talk Group and this weekend many of us were going to meet here in Minneapolis. I did get both picked up in time to head over to my regular knit night -another Ravelry group. How great is Rav for meeting knitting!

Barbara and Angela

So when Friday came along we got ready for the gang to meet here at my house for supper and a knit night. The largest gathering of She-Knitters to date and Sharon (She-Knit) would be coming up from Chicago to join us.

Chief was the official knitting bag inspector and, trust me, he did not let one bag go without a proper inspection. His favorite was the felted knit bag - good taste Chief!

Yup, this bag is okay to store yarn. But maybe, I'd fit in there too! - Chief

There was food. Angela made a HUGE batch of lasagna. To say it was good would be an insult to her lasagna. It was Fabulous! We also had the usual - salad- garlic bread, etc. And Lorri brought Snickerdoodle cake and cupcakes. YUMMY!

We managed to stop eating and talking and knitting long enough for a group picture. I have to make a confession here - most of these pictures are not mine. I was a bit busy and forgot to get my camera out for most of the night.

The group comes from all parts of the country - Washington - Minnesota - Massachusetts - Colorado - Oregon - Illinois. I was totally impressed that they would travel so far to come to visit us in Minnesota. But then that's what knitters do - travel anywhere to knit!

Friday ended and most headed back to the hotel to get ready for Saturday and Yarnover.

Saturday was wonderful starting with Cat Bordhi giving the keynote speech. I have to mention over the weekend my biggest fear concerning Cat Bordhi happened. A couple members of my Thursday knit group told her about our running joke about who is her BFF. I knew it would happen one day and I just grateful she has a good sense of humor and didn't take out a restraining order on me! But - I'll save the story for another post. (this is know as a cliff hanger)

Meanwhile - Saturday night we all met up for dinner at a local diner and met a few who couldn't make it Friday night.

Sunday was a small shop hop to Lila & Claudine's and Borealis. Much yarn went home with the gang and a good time was enjoyed by all.

Monday I got Barbara and Angela back to the airport and planned on cleaning the house but Bert had other ideas. Once I piled the bedding on the sofa he declared that this was his new place to sleep and I would be a terrible Mom if I took it away from him.

Normally, he spends one or two nights in the new spot so I figured the bedding could wait to be laundered. There's also a pile on the guest bed that he has claimed. Apparently one pile is for night and one pile is for the day nap.

So here it is 2 weeks later and I still haven't done the bedding because Bert gives me his sad "you won't take this from me" look and I give in. (either that or I'm really lazy and just haven't gotten around to it yet - you decide)

Happy, happy , happy. I love my new nap place! - Bert

Oh Angela - there's still plenty of lasagna in the freezer and I've been enjoying it very much!

About Jill

I'm owned by 2 cats, Chief and Bert. They allow me to spend as much time as I want knitting, quilting, and hanging out on the computer as long as I keep part of my lap free for them.
I used to own a shop where we helped people with their fiber arts needs. We had classes and supplies for knitting, machine knitting, quilting, and other sewing.
Right now I'm in corporate America but finding my way back to my passion. This blog is my journey back to knitting and quilting with plenty of cat stories thrown in.
I'm on Ravelry as JillsKnit. This has been my Internet name for over 10 years. It came from shortening the name of my former shop - Jill's All Sew Knit.